AMAZON’S NEWEST SERVICE IS MADE FOR YOU FORD’S ALL-ELECTRIC MACH-E MUSTANG HITS SHOWROOMS Spotlight on Innovation Head lines T he Mustang Mach-E, which is hitting dealer showrooms
ZOOM TO START LETTING PEOPLE HOST ONLINE PAID EVENTS Starting pricing — excluding the federal tax incentives — ranges from about $44,000 for the base Select model to $60,500 for a performance GT, which is expected to go on sale next summer. The Model Y starts at roughly $50,000 or $60,000 depending on the model. now, is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model Y crossover. he vehicle has a Tesla-like interior with a large 15.5-inch center screen as its control center. Pricing, performance and technologies such as over-the-air updates and driver-assist technologies are comparable to the Tesla Model Y. Pricing, performance and EV range for the Mach-E are com- parable to the Model Y. Top performance models of the Mach-E will achieve 0-60 miles per hour in the mid-3-sec- ond range with an estimated 459 horsepower and 612 foot pounds of torque. It has an EPS-estimated range of up to 300 miles. T he stores are usually jammed with foot traffic this time of year; however, this year may be different as new cases of COVID-19 once again surge across Canada, and partial lock- downs occur in many regions of the country. While many businesses have temporarily closed or modified operations, e-commerce is thriving. In September, retail e-com- merce sales rose 74.3 per cent year over year, while total retail sales increased 9.3 per cent, according to Statistics Canada. Canadian businesses reported that their online sales had more than doubled since 2013 to $305 billion last year, or 8 per cent of their total revenues, according to reports released by Statis- tics Canada. However, only 23 percent of small retailers reported sales via e-commerce last year. Amid this structural shift, small retailers and restaurants, espe- cially those that do not have a strong internet presence, will bear the brunt of the lockdown measures being rolled out in many parts of the country. Beyond the holiday shopping season, spending habits are changing in a multitude of ways, but the trend is seeing more and more shopping being directed online, stressing the importance of businesses having an online presence now and for the future.
EA WINS BID TO BUY RACING GAME DEVELOPER CODEMASTERS Over time, Amazon said it hopes to expand the service to include more styles based on users’ feedback. E lectronic Arts recently reached an agreement to purchase U.K. racing game developer Code- masters in a deal worth $1.2 billion. Last month, Codemasters was in talks with rival pub- lisher Take-Two Interactive to acquire the company for $971 million. Users are required to provide Amazon with their height, weight, body style and two photos of them- selves, which are taken using the Amazon app. From there, Amazon builds a “virtual body double” modeled after the user to create a custom fit and visualize what the clothing would look like on their body. A mazon is launching a new service that lets users create custom shirts tailored to their size. This new service called Made for You, creates a custom t-shirt for shoppers based on their measurements. Currently this new service is available for U.S. Shoppers only and allows them to customize a t-shirt based on the type of fabric, color, length, fit, neckline and sleeve length for $25.00. The acquisition of Codemasters marks the biggest deal in EA’s history, and comes amid increasing con- solidation in the video game industry as the corona- virus pandemic has accelerated demand for gaming.
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DECEMBER 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2020
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